Name
Fishtank Learning
What We Do
Written by former classroom teachers and leaders, the Fishtank Math curriculum is designed with students and teachers in mind first and foremost. We believe that all students deserve access to high-quality curriculum and that students should not need to prove they can do rigorous, grade-level math in order to gain access to it. We see these beliefs as key components of supporting anti-racist school practice, and we share our curriculum as a trusted resource for educators in this work.
As a curriculum team, we are continually listening, learning, and iterating on our curriculum and resources to get this work right. We strive to help all students see themselves as confident and competent mathematicians who are able to apply their math knowledge both in and out of the classroom as global citizens.
With this in mind, we designed the curriculum to include a balance of student-directed and teacher-led learning. Students have ample opportunities to investigate, explore, and be the drivers of their own learning. At the same time, teachers have what they need to ensure students are adequately guided towards strong conclusions. The curriculum is also designed to be comprehensive yet flexible. Every Common Core State Standard for Mathematics is covered in the Fishtank curriculum, with a focus on the major work of each grade and a thoughtful vertical progression embedded from course to course.
Teachers are provided with a flexible lesson structure that gives them the content and tools they need to make the decisions that are right for their students. Lastly, we designed the curriculum to be standards-based and content-rich. This means you can be sure students have access to and practice with standards-aligned problems that are engaging, accessible, and supportive of productive struggle.
All of our work is informed by 5 Guiding Principles:
1. Anchoring Standards-Aligned, Content-Rich Tasks
The content of a curriculum plays a critical role in student learning, and this content must not only be standards-aligned but also rich in a way that engages all students in multiple layers of understanding.
2. Communicating Mathematical Understanding
Providing students with opportunities to communicate and discuss their thinking improves student understanding, provides teachers with useful information to inform instruction, and shifts power away from teachers being the possessors of knowledge to students being the constructors of it.
3. Valuing the Process of Learning
Learning is an iterative process where students make meaning over time. Focusing on the process of how students learn, rather than the final result of their work, supports a growth mindset and encourages students to be active participants in their own learning.
4. Monitoring Student Progress
Monitoring student progress through various kinds of assessment is an integral part of a curriculum that informs teachers’ instructional decisions and students' metacognition.
5. Honoring and Building Teacher Expertise
Teachers bring their expertise to their classrooms, and providing them with a curriculum that empowers them to make the best decisions for their students will help drive student learning.
As a curriculum team, we are continually listening, learning, and iterating on our curriculum and resources to get this work right. We strive to help all students see themselves as confident and competent mathematicians who are able to apply their math knowledge both in and out of the classroom as global citizens.
With this in mind, we designed the curriculum to include a balance of student-directed and teacher-led learning. Students have ample opportunities to investigate, explore, and be the drivers of their own learning. At the same time, teachers have what they need to ensure students are adequately guided towards strong conclusions. The curriculum is also designed to be comprehensive yet flexible. Every Common Core State Standard for Mathematics is covered in the Fishtank curriculum, with a focus on the major work of each grade and a thoughtful vertical progression embedded from course to course.
Teachers are provided with a flexible lesson structure that gives them the content and tools they need to make the decisions that are right for their students. Lastly, we designed the curriculum to be standards-based and content-rich. This means you can be sure students have access to and practice with standards-aligned problems that are engaging, accessible, and supportive of productive struggle.
All of our work is informed by 5 Guiding Principles:
1. Anchoring Standards-Aligned, Content-Rich Tasks
The content of a curriculum plays a critical role in student learning, and this content must not only be standards-aligned but also rich in a way that engages all students in multiple layers of understanding.
2. Communicating Mathematical Understanding
Providing students with opportunities to communicate and discuss their thinking improves student understanding, provides teachers with useful information to inform instruction, and shifts power away from teachers being the possessors of knowledge to students being the constructors of it.
3. Valuing the Process of Learning
Learning is an iterative process where students make meaning over time. Focusing on the process of how students learn, rather than the final result of their work, supports a growth mindset and encourages students to be active participants in their own learning.
4. Monitoring Student Progress
Monitoring student progress through various kinds of assessment is an integral part of a curriculum that informs teachers’ instructional decisions and students' metacognition.
5. Honoring and Building Teacher Expertise
Teachers bring their expertise to their classrooms, and providing them with a curriculum that empowers them to make the best decisions for their students will help drive student learning.
Founded
2016
Categories
Assessment Resources, Common Core Resources, Online Resources, Professional Development Books and Resources, Teaching Resources, Textbooks
Address
769 Centre Street, Suite 208
Boston, MA 02130
United States
Boston, MA 02130
United States
Twitter